How to Care for Fine Jewelry

As a retailer of fine jewelry we get lots of emails and calls asking us how to protect these valuable assets. Here a few valuable tips to keep your fine jewelry safe and sparkling. Dirt buildup may hasten the wear of your jewelry. Visit your jeweler at least once a year to have your fine jewelry professionally cleaned and inspected for worn or cracked prongs, faulty clasps, or any other potential problem that can occur with daily wear. Avoid heavy blows to your diamond. Diamonds can chip if they are struck at just the right angle. If you bump or snag your jewelry, have it inspected for potential damage that may be unnoticeable to you. When you are not wearing your jewelry, place each item in a separate, soft, compact container. If cluttered together, jewelry can become scratched or chipped.

Don’t wear your jewelry in the ocean! Salt water and jewelry just don’t mix. Ocean water can actually damage some stones and metals.Don’t wear your jewelry while cleaning! Exposure to chemicals can damage and discolor precious metals like gold, silver, and platinum. Certain household chemical cleansers can actually damage colored gems. Remove your jewelry before going into chlorinated water, salt water, when using household cleansers. Swimming in jewelry is also a bad idea as the water can constrict fingers making it more likely for your rings to fall off. Don’t place or store your jewelry near vents, grates, sinks or drains. This is just a disaster waiting to happen. When wearing pearl jewelry be cautious what cosmetics and lotions you use, as pearls are easily damaged by such products.

Keep jewelry in an unlikely place. Jewelry boxes are an obvious place for thieves to look. When traveling, keep valuable jewelry at home or store it in the hotel safe, not your safe. Most burglaries happen in broad daylight. Always keep doors and windows locked during the day. One of the best ways to keep valuable or extensive jewelry collections secure is to store them in a burglary and fire-resistant safe.